‘Trump University’ Trumped Students Out Of A Lot Of Money For Nothing

Trump’s Failures Line Up PUBLICLY

According to CNN, in 2005, Trump Entrepreneur Initiative (formerly known as Trump University) launched a school that promised success in real estate. About 10,000 students registered for the real estate moguls educational enterprise. The course ranged from $1,495 three-day seminars to $35,000.

The university also offered a Gold Elite Program, which “provided” personal mentoring, real estate field trips and access to the expertise that made Trump a billionaire.” Unfortunately, students did not have the opportunity to meet the media mogul themselves. But never mind all that, students were offered a plate of fine caviar, and supposedly given the tools of navigating the complexities, strategy, and secrets to Mr. Trump’s success in real estate. Thus, it was supposedly worth every penny to them, the students, considering Trump’s a billionaire. Who doesn’t want to be rich, right?

After all, Trump’s legacy is made of platinum promises. In the political realm it’s such vague and false stuff as, “Make America Great Again,” as if it isn’t already, and with respect to Obama’s birth certificate, “I have people that have been studying it and they cannot believe what they’re finding”, as if they found anything untoward. In the business realm it’s hyping his steaks as if they’re made of unicorn meat, his menswear line as if the clothes were made in America… In the wrestling world it was “look, a little word of advice: don’t get in my way,” to Vince McMahon, about his faked buyout of the WWE. All of it total baloney.

Lawsuits Haunt Trump’s Presidential Aspirations

Unsurprisingly, some students left unsatisfied and feeling they’d been bamboozled. Two lawsuits in 2010 were filed against Trump University, one by former students and another filed by the New York Attorney General. Art Cohen is a former student of Trump Univeristy, and he is suing because he alleges he did not receive the premier education of “the moguls investing techniques to get rich on real estate,” as promised. Cohen paid $35,000 to attend the school. In the lawsuit the students claim no proper vetting process took place for the teachers hired. Nor were they hired directly by the mogul as promised. Instead, many of the teachers were independent contractors and were paid a percentage based on the courses they sold. In other words, they weren’t teachers at all: they were salespersons.

Also, Cohen and other students on the case allege the University capitalized on students’ eagerness to learn by offering an initial free seminar, but to obtain more information they would have to purchase the “one-year apprenticeship” which was only three days. This left students feeling as though they were taken advantage of. The students were serious with desires to soak up knowledge and learn about real estate, along with the outcome of significantly increasing their personal income. Instead, as the lawsuit claims, the university would “upsell,” students to purchase more seminars at an additional cost of $10,000 or more. Seems the teaching part was optional for staff, it was all about the sell, sell, sell. Students were the consumers.

Having spent a fortune, the students alleged they learned little about real estate and Trump’s secrets to success. Instead, the students were pressured to sell (or buy) tickets to live events and other products, during their time at the university.

But Alan Garten, vice president and general counsel of The Trump Organization, says:

States Sue Trump Too

The second lawsuit filed by the New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman claimed the school was fraudulent. In this case, CNN reports the judge held Trump personally liable for running an illegal school. The court ordered Trump to pay restitution to 800 consumers who took classes at the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative after May 31, 2010.

Art Cohen’s case is pending.

New York is not the only state to sue Trump University. More class action lawsuits are pending against the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative, in California and Florida. Thre’s also another one waiting in New York. Clearly, Mr. Trump cannot make everything “great.” Of course, those of us who hold Trump responsible for his record know this, starting, with his bankruptcies.

Gawker reports some of these cases could cost Trump up to two million dollars. That’s chump change for the billionaire.

"@abimlebt: Eric Schneiderman trying to get himself an image as a strong man is suing @realDonaldTrump. Bad choice, Trump will eat him alive

The Justice System vs. Trump

Trump has seen many lawsuits and courtrooms before. In 1973, his real-estate company, Trump Management Corporation was sued by the Justice Department for not renting to black people. On the flip side, Trump is a professional filer of lawsuits himself. He sued comedian and Real Time host Bill Maher for joking Trump should prove his mother did not have sex with an orangutan. Trump also sued Univision for $500 million after they refused to air pageant programs after he used disparaging language about Mexicans. In February 2016, this was settled.

Man Of Big Promises

Trump University closed its doors in 2010. Still, Trump remains a man of big, big promises and solutions. With his big ego, it seems he is untouchable. Bankrupcies, lawsuits, the disparaging language of religious minorities, people of color, women, physically disabled, and disrespect for war prisoners mean nothing to his supporters. All they know is he will “Make America Great Again,” just as all crony capitalist don’t do.

Quiana Fulton is a political writer, and she has a bachelor in political science from American Military University. She’s not jaded by polarization but absolutely has no time for people who refuse to partake in preserving and strengthening Democracy. She’s a staunch liberal that is capable of being friends with conservatives and is always down for a good debate. She’s a pro-life Dem (and yes, they exist).